


Donna Troy and the Outlaws

by pennysparrow



Category: DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Titans (Comics)
Genre: Gen, Jason is trying to get out of his brother's shadow, Mentioned Dick Grayson - Freeform, Mentioned Lian Harper, Other DC Characters mentioned - Freeform, an AU of the Outlaws without n52 happening, and with original plot, they go to Paris
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-23
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2018-12-18 22:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 17,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11884122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pennysparrow/pseuds/pennysparrow
Summary: Red Hood and the Outlaws is a great team but wouldn't exactly make sense in pre52 continuity, unless of course it was Donna Troy who brought them together. Jason gets picked up in Gotham and must deal with not only the dangers that come from being a superhero but also trying to change the opinions of his big brother's best friends. And change his own opinions of them.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I was asked on tumblr what my top 5 Brotps that could've been were and Jason and Donna is number 4 which got me thinking (and kinda ranting) about how the Outlaws would work with her at the helm and then this happened. It's the AU literally no one asked for.

A way too cheery ringtone that Jason definitely didn’t remember programming filled the small apartment and woke him up. His hand fumbled to grab the phone and try and shut it up. By pure luck he glanced at the screen. His eyes widened and he immediately picked up the call.

“Donna? Were we supposed to meet up this morning? I know Rayner is off world right now but I didn’t think the two of us had any plans. I’m sooo sorry I slept through them or I’m late or I just can’t remember. Last night was nuts here…” Jason trailed off and scrubbed at his eyes. Hopefully she’d take pity on him because he was definitely not prepared to face a pissed off amazon at the moment.

Thankfully, Donna laughed on the other end. “No Jay, you don’t have to worry. Honestly, I’m really sorry about calling this early to begin with. I know what all happened, Dick’s been texting me since about two, and I really wouldn’t have interrupted your hard-earned rest if it weren’t important.”

Jason tried to stifle a yawn. “Nah, you’re good,” he waved his hand before remembering that they weren’t video chatting. “So what’s up?”

“Well I’m putting a team together and I could really use someone with your skill set.” Jason couldn’t be positive but it certainly sounded like she was biting her lip.

“This isn’t like that time you tried to pull a justice league together?” Jason tried to joke, the conversation had turned a bit too serious a bit too fast for his tastes and Donna sounded unsure. He hated that, the last time he’d heard her sound that way was when he still wore pixie boots.

Luckily it worked and Donna laughed. “No, no. Though I’ll have you know that worked out in the end. And this isn’t like that time I tried to pull a Titans team together either.”

Jason groaned. “Don’t remind me. My first time with the teen titans and all I wanted to do was impress you and all anybody else wanted to do was rip each other’s heads off.”

“That was definitely not my shining moment.” Donna admitted. “But I think you’ll like this team. I’ve already got us a heavy hitter and a tech guy.” Jason could hear the grin in her voice. Combined with the fact she didn’t actually specify _who_  it was made him suspicious.

“Uh huh. Well we both know the heavy hitter is you so…”

“Nope! Not me!” Donna was definitely grinning now.

“Ok… well you said my skill sets, you do realize those include killing people right?”

“Jason I’m warrior, I don’t get bothered by that. We’ve been over this. And anyway, when I said skill set I meant your tactical mind, acrobatics, and flare for the dramatics not just your aim.”

Jason rolled over so that he was laying on his stomach, head propped up on his arm as he glared at the headboard. “You know you could just call Dick. He’s got the same training as me and I’m almost positive he’s gone to hell and back for you before so I’m sure he’d do it again.”

The other end of the line went silent and for a second he was afraid that Donna had hung up. “Jason Todd,” she hissed. “If I wanted your brother on this team I could’ve easily called him and you’re right, he would have agreed because the others just so happen to be Kori and Roy who he happens to be close friends with and has worked with in the past. However, I didn’t call Dick I called you. I want you on this team because you’re like Kori and I and even Roy. You’re a warrior and you’re not squeamish about getting things done. What we need to do falls into some morally gray area that I know you have no problem with. Which your older brother would not necessarily approve of and none of us need Dick "the boy wonder” Grayson questioning our judgement on this if things go south. I called you because I trust you Jay and I know you’re the person I need for this.”

Jason worried on his lower lip, running his free hand through his hair. He rolled onto his back again and stared up at the glow in the dark stars Steph and Cass had stuck on his ceiling. "What- what’s the mission?” He finally asked.

“Infiltrating the League of Assassins.”

Jason bolted upright. “I’m in.”


	2. Chapter 2

Donna had told him they’d pick him up in roughly ten minutes and to meet them on the roof. When he asked if he should be on the lookout for an invisible plane Jason could feel her glaring at him through the phone. So he did as asked and stood on the roof of his apartment building in full Red Hood regalia, minus the domino mask and with the helmet slipped under his arm because no one in Gotham rooftop watched at 10 am so he figured he was safe. The two duffle bags slung over his shoulders were filled with clothes, snacks and tea, a small collection of paperbacks, and guns, ammo, some knives, grapples, and even a batarang or two.

He was typing out a quick text to Barbara saying he was going to be out of town for a while, because he’s a responsible person and he owes Barbie, when he saw the “transportation” Donna had mentioned.

“A spaceship?! You have a fucking spaceship?!”

Midway through Jason’s exclamation the ship’s bay doors slid open and a ramp extended to the roof. “Yes, my brother gave it to me in hopes that I would use it to visit New Tamaran more often,” the alien princess said as she floated down the ramp.

Jason blinked at her, completely unable to formulate a response to that. A laugh and footsteps sounded from behind Starfire on the ramp. “Look at that! You made Jason speechless! Congrats Kori!” Donna had her arm linked with Roy as they exited the ship. “You all know each other? I can’t remember if you’ve been officially introduced to each other at this point.”

Roy chuckled. “I don’t even know. Hey Jason, thanks for joining up. It’s not often that the Red Hood agrees to work with someone outside of Gotham.”

“It’s not often that the Red Hood works with anyone,” Jason grumbled, adjusting the strap on his duffle bag.

“That is not what Batgirl says,” Kori quirked her head, a small smile spreading across her lips.

Jason huffed. “Yeah well.”

“C'mon,” Donna motioned him to join them on the ramp. “We’ll fill you in and you can mope on the way there.”

Jason furrowed his brows but followed the trio back up the ramp and into the ship. As they passed through a long hall Kori motioned to a door “That will be your room, you can leave your items and meet us on the flight deck.”

Jason nodded his thanks and slipped into the room. He took in the small closet, shelves with some sort of clear covering to keep the items from falling during travel, and low but large bed that had a window looking out currently onto the Gotham skyline but should they every actually leave earth’s atmosphere he’d have a spectacular view of the stars. Jason dumped his bags and left his helmet on the bed. He debated shrugging his leather jacket off and leaving it too but he wasn’t willing to risk leaving it behind if he suddenly decided to bolt. He slipped back into the hall and followed it toward what he assumed was the flight deck. Other doors like his own lined the hall, some had plaques with writing on though very few were in English and he assumed the rest were Tamaranian. The hall ended in a large chamber that he had to guess was the flight deck seeing as Kori, Donna, and Roy were all sitting in the chairs talking. Jason took the free chair next to Roy as Kori leaned toward what must be the control panel and tapped a few screens.

“Please secure yourselves,” Kori said and Jason quickly buckled himself into the harness as the ship lifted up from the roof and exited Gotham airspace. Through what he could only call the windshield Jason could now see open ocean stretching before and below them.

“So, uh Roy, are you still Red Arrow or are you back to Speedy? I don’t want to call out the wrong name in the heat of the moment,” Jason waggled his eyebrows and shot them a wicked grin.

Roy choked on the Zesti he was drinking as he started laughing. Donna simply snorted and shook her head while Kori giggled. “It’s back to Arsenal right now actually. Thanks for asking though,” Roy said once he recovered.

Jason nodded and turned to Donna. “And you Wonder Girl?”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s Troia and you knew that.”

“And I’m guessing you’re still Starfire?”

Kori shrugged and put on an innocent air. “What is that earth saying? Why fix what isn’t broken?”

They all laughed at that and Jason found himself significantly calmer than when he was waiting for them on the roof of his apartment building.

“So I’ve gotta ask, what exactly is going down that you needed me?” Jason finally asked, twirling his phone around in his lap.

Roy and Donna exchanged a look while Kory took a sudden interest in piloting. Jason just waited as they argued through glares, eyebrows, and head shakes. Jason glanced at Kory who simply gave a shrug before refocusing on the controls. Finally, Donna sighed and turned to Jason, her expression tight.

“It has come to our attention that the League is stealing the remains of heroes’ relatives,” she began with a grimace. Jason’s eyebrows rose. “We believe that following the Black Lanterns the League of Assassins may try and resurrect these family members and use them as pawns against us.”

Jason let out a low whistle. “That’s a lot of speculation there. And I know for a fact that B keeps close tabs on Talia and I keep close tabs on B but I haven’t heard anything about this. How do you know your intel is solid?”

Donna pressed her lips into a thin line as Roy whirled on him. “Because,” the redhead spat. “They took Lian. I was going to visit her when I saw them take her.”

Jason felt himself go pale. It was a well-known fact that Roy Harper loved his little girl and to harm her was a grave mistake because you wouldn’t only call down his wrath but the wrath of all the arrow clan and the Titans. When she was killed it just about broke Roy and even though Jason was a bit busy and a bit out of the loop he even knew that Roy had flipped. For the League to risk so much Talia and Ra’s had to have some grand plan.

Jason tried to compose himself, stretching his legs out and leaning back in his chair. “So that’s why you didn’t want Dickie-bird. You’re afraid Goldie will doubt your judgement.” Jason grinned, a hint of a challenge there.

He was surprised that it was Donna who took the bait. “Yes. We went over this Jay. And while it is personal Lian wasn’t the only one taken. We have all sorts of records and they… Well they took my son too. Jason, they took Robert.”

A hush fell over the group and Jason mentally kicked himself. He had been asked to join this team and yet here he was pushing their buttons.

It was Kori who broke the silence. “I am certainly glad you agreed to help Jason. Truthfully you have no real ties to any of us save Donna and yet you are here. It is a very noble thing to do.” She gave him a small smile a Jason squirmed.

“Yeah well, I’m a sucker for an Amazon in need,” Jason muttered as he shrugged and crossed his arms. He made a point not to look at any of them. Staring pointedly out at the ocean didn’t mean he couldn’t see the glances the others shared out of the corner of his eye.

Let them judge him, he didn’t want or need their approval. Just because they got Goldie’s and the Justice League’s approval didn’t mean they were squeaky clean. Bruce kept files on everyone and the Titans were no exception. Heck, Jason figured half the information in those came from Dick himself.

He knew that Roy was an ex-addict and since his daughter’s death he fell off the wagon for a bit. That Kori may be an alien princess and while she was originally a refugee she had also been kept here in exile, depending on which family member of hers ruled at the time. Not to mention her temper which he saw a spectacular example of in security footage from Titans Tower a few years back where she went toe to toe with Diana. Donna was no Girl Scout either, she’s been known to lose her temper and fall into deep pits of self-doubt that effected those around her.

Compared to these three Jason with his Lazarus rage and less than perfect morals was practically a pillar of respectability, if he did say so himself. So maybe he did fit in a bit, even if he did feel super awkward sitting there.

Donna cleared her throat as she unbuckled her harness and stood. “I’m going to go get started on some lunch. Can you two start getting Jay up to speed on the case?” Without waiting for an answer Donna disappeared off into the ship and left Jason alone with half of what he, and plenty of others, liked to think of as Nightwing’s Ginger Army. He was guessing that this experience was going to be awkward for all of them at the very least.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa, an update the day after I posted this. *attempts to whistle* Anyway, we have a pov shift to Roy for this one, I hope you enjoy!

Roy managed to get Jason caught up and was only partially surprised that the other man asked so many detailed questions. The guy was a bat, even if he tried to deny it. The two of them and Kori had even mapped out a partial timeline of the League’s grave robbing by the time Donna came to get them for lunch.

Donna gave Roy an appraising look as Kori and Jason huddled around the map Kori had pulled up using the ship’s hologram system. He just shrugged and they both walked over. Jason was having Kori mark all the League hideouts he knew of, whether because Batman knew of them or Jason had been there himself he never said. Roy wasn’t too bothered by Jason’s presence on the ship, he had dated Cheshire so he had no right to be cagey around ex-assassins.

“Wow. This is- wow. It would’ve taken us ages to get all that together,” Donna admitted. Jason shrugged and Roy had to admit that the slight blush that had taken over Jason’s complexion at Donna’s words.

“I’ve gotta admit Troy, you’ve pulled together a pretty good team here,” Roy grinned at her and looked over at Kori and Jason. Kori was positively beaming, hovering a few inches off the floor.

Jason snorted. “We haven’t gotten into a fight yet so I wouldn’t jinx us if I were you.”

“Do you mean a fight against others or a fight amongst ourselves?” Kori quirked an eyebrow at Jason.

“Whatever comes first,” Jason smirked. Roy couldn’t help but laugh. He was a cocky little shit but Jason certainly had a sense of humor, something Roy always found lacking in Bruce.

Donna rolled her eyes but she was smiling. “Sure… Now c’mon, food.” She turned and began walking towards the galley, Jason trailing after her. Roy hung back with Kori as she adjusted the autopilot course.

“So?” Roy quirked an eyebrow at her.

“What do you mean?”

“What do you think Kori? About Jason.”

She tilted her head, taking her time to formulate a response. “He is not like Dick but he is not like Batman either. He seems to have a genuine kindness but he hides it behind sarcasm. I believe that you and he have the… potential to become good friends. I like him and approve of Donna’s choice. We cannot know for sure but I believe this will be a good thing.” Kori gave a single, serious nod. She turned those green eyes on him, a curious lilt to her brows. “And you Roy? What do you think?”

“I think he’s a good kid who’s like us; made some bad choices, was effected by some situations outside our control, kept a little too much rage bottled up, but ultimately he just wants to help people.” Roy glanced at her for her thoughts on his assessment. Kori nodded and smiled. Satisfied, Roy offered her his arm and headed towards the galley.

Donna was dolling out platefuls of chicken pot pie, handing Roy and Kori theirs as they walked in. She raised a questioning eyebrow but they both gave her a look that meant _later_. Roy slid into the seat next to Jason who was already shoveling the food into his mouth. Roy chuckled as Jason went and got seconds. “Donna’s cooking really that good?” Roy asked once Jason sat back down.

“It’s not Alfred’s but no one can top him,” a fond smile formed on Jason’s lips before he went back to inhaling his food.

“Well lucky for you we rotate cooking duties so you can show off some of those fancy recipes,” Donna quipped. Jason gave them a genuine smile at that one before he went back to his food.

“Dude, you eat like a speedster! Chill,” Roy laughed, causing Jason to blush.

“I didn’t get breakfast,” Jason shot back defensively.

They all laughed and Kori passed Jason her plate. “Lucky for you I did and am not very hungry. You may have my share Jason.”

Jason smiled and slid her plate towards him. “Thanks, Princess.” Kori seemed to preen at the title and Roy had to admit that it was smart of him to try and win brownie points from her. Which he obviously had if the way she was hovering slightly was any indication. Something Roy had learned back in their early Titan days was that Kori’s powers were fueled by her emotions and like something out of _Peter Pan_ her flight was powered off of joy and happiness. When she and Dick had been a thing she was almost always floating just off the ground and Roy thought it was a bit obnoxious. Over time though he’d found it endearing and seeing her that happy always warmed his shattered heart just a bit these days.

“We’ve got plenty of supplies so eat what you want,” Donna assured their newest team member.

“So who exactly is bankrolling this thing? I mean, it’s obviously not Bruce and last I checked you two weren’t filthy rich,” Jason motioned between Donna and Kori with his fork.

Roy clapped a hand over Jason’s shoulder. “You can thank good ol’ Oliver Queen.” Jason blanched and sputtered, before he could form a coherent sentence Roy laughed and spoke again. “He owes me, bigtime.” Roy felt his expression soften. “Not to mention I told him about Lian and he said he’d do whatever he could to help.”

Jason nodded slowly and Roy saw the mixture of empathy, pity, and respect in the younger man’s blue eyes. “That’s… I guess I really underestimated Ollie,” he said sincerely.

Roy shrugged. “Everyone always does. I’d say it’s part of his charm except he hasn’t got any.” Donna and Kori both gave a little laugh but Jason just studied Roy.

They were similar in many ways and Roy could tell that Jason saw right through his armor of humor. Donna and Kori certainly did, even if they didn’t admit it, but he’d known them for years. He’d just met Jason, well officially at least. Roy squirmed under Jason’s gaze, he wasn’t exactly glad about the realization that he and Jason would find it hard to lie to each other. One he’d just come to and judging by Jason’s change in expression, as had the other man. If it turned out they ended up hating each other or having some sort of falling out then this was going to be a long mission and Roy could only hope that Kori and Donna could keep that from happening. At least for now the two men were on the same page.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still in Roy's POV. Mostly character development? and a bit short but I'm better with that than real actiony stuff and we're still in the opening chapters. *shrugs* I hope you like this!

Roy was sitting in his room taking inventory of his weapons and supplies when Donna found him. She knocked on the doorframe and poked her head in with a small smile. Roy put the grappling arrow he had been examining back in his quiver and waved her in. “What’s up?” Roy asked as Donna perched herself on the bed.

“Well I wanted to talk to you and Kori together but she’s giving Jason a tour of the ship.”

“Ok… What did you want to talk about?” Roy raised an eyebrow at her. Donna was normally perfectly fine being blunt with him but she’d been nervous and overly polite with this whole team thing. In its own way it bothered Roy just because he was so used to her being so sure of herself that it actually threw him off when she wasn’t. Oh the perks of having grown up with someone and remained close, you rely on them without thinking about it and when something small happens everything shifts.

Donna picked an arrow out of his quiver and began twirling it between her fingers. He grabbed her wrist, stilling her hand, and slid the arrow out from between her fingers. “Glue arrow, you bump it the wrong way and we’ll spend a week cleaning this place up,” he said gently, replacing it with a blunted one. 

Her eyes had widened and then her expression had shifted into a sheepish grin as she took the newly offered arrow. “Thanks and sorry,” Donna muttered as she went back to fidgeting.

Roy shrugged and slid himself back on the bed so that he was leaning against the wall. He decided to just wait her out, she had obviously come to talk about something. Roy knew she wouldn’t leave until she said her piece but he also figured she needed the space and time to order her thoughts and Roy was happy to give that to her.

“I’m sorry I’ve been off lately,” she finally muttered still looking down at her hands and the arrow she held there.

Roy shrugged, he really couldn’t blame her seeing as how in his opinion he’d been off for a long time now. “It’s fine. Things happen.”

Donna nodded but that quickly turned into her shaking her head and letting her breath out in a huff. “No. No it’s not. I asked Kori if she would mind helping me look into this thing and then when I heard about Lian I asked you if you wanted to join us and yet I haven’t been able to actually be of any help because I’m so freaked about Robert and this team and… I’m just not being a good friend Roy.” She turned to look at him with a watery smile.

“Nope. Stop. Not happening.” Roy scooted himself back to her side and wrapped his arms around her in a ridiculously over dramatic bear hug. “I’m channeling my inner Dick and Wally and shutting this down right now,” he said as he began to hug her tighter.

Donna laughed and acted as though she was going to wiggle free but made no real attempt. With her strength Donna could have easily gotten herself out even with her arms pinned to her sides. “How in Hera’s name is this you channeling your inner Wally and Dick?” she giggled.

“Hugging. Feelings. That stuff,” Roy tried to shrug but only managed to make Donna snort.

“I’m not going to touch that emotional baggage with a ten foot pole,” she smirked at him and Roy dropped his arms.

“Ok. Ouch?” He replied mock hurt. 

Donna rolled her eyes and smiled. “Ok, ok, at least not today.”

“Fair enough,” Roy grinned back. “So what did you really come here to talk about?”

“I want your opinion on Jason. You’ve led plenty of teams before and I’ll admit my opinion of him is a bit biased.”

“Well if I need a bat you know I’m always going to want Dick,” Roy admitted.

“I know and in most cases so would I but in this very special circumstance?” Donna folded her lips into a thin line.

“Like you said about emotional baggage and ten-foot poles,” Roy told her honestly. Donna gave a dark chuckle and a nod. She continued to fiddle with the arrow he had given her. Roy sighed and placed a hand on her wrist, once again stilling her nervous habit. “Kori and I had a brief chat about this already, he seems like a good guy. So he has his issues, we all do. Point is, he’s already given us a lot of information that may have taken weeks if not months otherwise. Anyway, from the gossip on the Watchtower the kid is an utter nerd so…” Roy trailed off with a grin that Donna returned.

“Ok, so we’re going into this thing with an open mind?” 

“Definitely.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who's read and given kudos/commented! I just finished the first week of the semester and decided to celebrate! I hope you all enjoy and ask that you stick with me as the semester gets busier. This chapter is from Kori's POV.

Kori had left Jason in his room to unpack while she wandered toward the flight deck. Some of Roy’s “music” made its way to her ears as she walked in. She scrunched up her nose in distaste and shared a look with Donna, they’d been attempting to salvage the boys’ horrendous music tastes for years. They had managed to curb the more awful playlists to only being listened to outside of their presence but sometimes… Well she was just glad it wasn’t Gar’s music.

“Must you?” Donna asked, tapping Roy’s nose as she moved to let Kori past.

Roy shrugged and gave them a wide smirk. “I mean, it’s not Great Frog but we could fix that.”

“No,” Kori said. “My ship, my rules.” She twitched her eyebrows at him and Roy snorted. He held his hands up in a placating gesture while Donna motioned toward the sound system. Kori skipped over and put on some Spice Girls, much to Donna’s delight and Roy’s dismay.

Kori took her seat in the captain’s chair while her friends settled around her. “Where are we headed?” Donna asked, pulling up a file that Roy had affectionately titled _Badass Battle Plans._

“For now? Just outside of Paris. Jason says that the League of Assassins has a stronghold there. We shall spend a few days observing the compound and seeing what we might be able to learn about their plans.” Kori ensured their course and checked their fuel and weapons systems, just in case.

“Wait a second, Paris?” Roy asked, his voice taking on an incredulous note. “Isn’t that a little, I don’t know, cliché? Expensive? Bond villainy?”

Kori couldn’t help but smile, Jason had spent a good amount of their tour complaining about how Talia and Bruce were so similar in the respect that they had no mind to the expense of things. Something Kori understood Oliver Queen did as well but had learned was not passed on to Roy.

Donna laughed and tossed a crumpled post-it-note at him. “It’s the League of Assassins, my understanding is that they _invented_ the cliché.”

“I believe that Jason would agree with you on that. He seems to have strong opinions on the League and clichés,” Kori teased.

“I think we can all agree that he has _strong opinions_ on just about everything,” Roy said with an eye-roll.

“That’s not fair. I’m pretty neutral on the dog versus cat debate,” Jason said, making them all jump.

“We did not mean to offend you Jason and I hope that we did not.” Kori studied him as he slid into a seat. His face seemed blank but Kori could swear she saw a flicker of amusement in his blue-green eyes.

“Yeah man, it’s really nothing personal. Ow!” Roy rubbed the spot on his side where Donna had elbowed him and shot her a glare. “It’s not! I’m just kinda an ass! Ask Garth or Wally! They know…” He trailed off with a frown.

“He’s really not wrong about the whole being an ass thing,” Donna turned to Jason earning her a returning glare from Roy.

Jason merely shrugged. “It’s fine. I don’t try to hide my opinions on certain things and I think everyone knows that.”

Kori caught his eye and smiled. “I believe that honesty is important and there’s no purer honesty than the honesty of oneself and opinion.”

Jason wiggled slightly in his seat, suddenly uncomfortable and Kori couldn’t decide if it was her stare or words that made him that way. He coughed and motioned to the holograph still displaying their files. “So, uh, what’s the game plan.”

“We’re going to Paris,” Donna grinned. “And if any of you think that we’re not going at least _try_ and have some fun then you’re wrong.”

“Well I’m not gonna argue with you,” Jason gave Donna a half grin.

“I do not believe I’ve ever truly visited Paris,” Kori admitted.

Roy grinned and spun the chair. “Well this ain’t the Titans and we sure as hell aren’t Bats. Recon is recon and all work and no play makes Roy a dull boy.”

Kori and Donna both began laughing at that and seemingly against his will Jason smiled. Kori turned towards her controls and began increasing their speed. “We shall be in Paris by nightfall,” she told her companions with a smile over her shoulder.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter because the inspiration hit like a brick today between classes. Again in Kori's POV.

With the ship’s cloaking devices, they were able to land in a meadow in a park just on the border of the city. Kori had taken the liberty of booking them a hotel for a week, securing metro passes, and concocting a cover story. They were four friends who had decided on a trip to Europe following grad school, the fake ids that Roy had gotten them would withstand any scrutiny though she doubted that would be a problem. 

Kori folded her armor and clothes and shoes into a small rolling suitcase, shoving hair and makeup items into her overlarge purse. She slipped on her sandals and placed the large floppy hat on her head, the brim would help obscure her eyes and the hat itself would calm her hair some. Not to mention that she was going to take full advantage of the fact that she was in Paris and dress to the nines. 

Meeting the others at the bottom of the ramp Kori was excited to see that Donna had the same idea with her sleek cigarette pants and trendy flowing blouse and sweater. Kori’s lips twitched when she noticed that the Amazon had wrapped her lasso around her hips, a weapon hidden in plain sight. Donna’s sunglasses flashed as she turned to Kori and smiled. “We all good?” 

Kori stepped off the ramp and pressed a palm to the ships haul, retracting the ramp and locking the vessel to all but herself, Donna, and Roy. She had offered to key Jason’s DNA into the system but he had refused for the time being. Kori turned back to the group with a nod that Donna returned. The other girl hiked her backup up a little bit and turned to head off into the city, Roy following behind. Jason glanced at Kori and she smiled, motioning that he follow as well and fell in step with him.

Jason still wore his leather jacket, Kori couldn’t recall if the younger man had ever actually taken it off since entering the ship. He was fiddling with his sunglasses, then the strap of his duffle bag, then bouncing his palms on the side of his jean clad thighs.

“Is everything alright Jason?” He startled slightly and turned to look at her. Just ahead of them Roy and Donna were laughing and lightly bumping shoulders. Jason turned his gaze back to them and Kori noticed he was studying the backpack that Roy also wore, though larger than Donna’s to conceal his bow and quiver.

After a long minute Jason shrugged, his brows furrowing just slightly. “Yeah Princess, just… The last time I was on a team with those two things went… well poorly doesn’t begin to describe it.” 

Kori reached out a hand to pat his shoulder but pulled it back when Jason flinched. “Donna speaks very highly of you and the time you spent with her and Kyle Rayner. I do not believe you need to worry about her opinion of you.”

“Yeah well it’s not really her opinion I’m worried about,” Jason’s face twisted into a sneer as he grumbled.

“I can assure you that neither Roy nor I judge you for the things you have done. To do so would be hypocritical.”

“Uh huh,” Jason sounded skeptical and refused to look at Kori, focusing on the path beneath his feet instead. 

Kori felt her brow wrinkle, she wanted desperately to comfort him and prove that she at least wished to be his friend, even if he didn’t believe her assurances about Roy. Instead she decided that she would allow him to come to her, much like a wild animal would. “Jason, I do not know what you have been told about my past but I would very much like to tell it to you myself at some point. I believe you would find that we are more similar than you think. When you wish to talk I will be ready.”

Jason turned his head just enough so that he was looking at her out of the corner of his eye. He was certainly skeptical but seemed to consider the offer, merely nodding before facing front once more. 

Roy turned from where he and Donna were now a few feet in front of them, deftly walking backwards as he began to speak. “Do either or you know French? Donna and I are both pretty rusty.”

“I mean technically yes, but like you it’s been awhile.” Jason replied.

Roy turned to her and Kori shrugged, giving her friend a mischievous smile. “I could learn.” Donna laughed and twirled to shake her head at her friend as they existed the park. Kori scanned the crowd, finding a pretty petite blonde woman chattering with an ice cream vendor as she accepted her change. The blonde was without a doubt a local from the speed she spoke and the casual way she spoke with the vendor. When she turned away Kori walked up to her, tapping her on the shoulder and pulling her into a kiss. The woman blinked in shock and Kori grinned. “Merci beaucoup!” 

She turned back to her companions and Jason looked nearly as shocked as the woman. Donna rolled her eyes and smiled while Roy chuckled. “Welp, guess we’ve got ourselves a translator.”

Kori grinned and rejoined them, walking between Jason and Roy. She felt someone grab her elbow and she turned to find the woman who rattled off a sequence of numbers before blushing and running off. It was Kori’s turn to blink as Roy patted her on the back and Donna whistled. “What just happened?” Jason asked, seeming overly confused.

“I just learned French and apparently received that woman’s phone number,” Kori informed him.

“That’s my girl,” Donna smiled.

“We’re gonna have fun in Paris,” Roy told them and Kori shrugged as they made their way toward the sign advertising a metro station. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POV shift to Donna here. Check out these updates, this is shocking even me.

Donna was a little nervous, the mission was supposed to be simple recon but she had a nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen and it was going to be her fault. She caught snatches of conversation on the subway around them, understanding a few words here and there. Diana could speak hundreds of languages, most near fluently, Donna was only at close to thirty with proficiency and French definitely wasn’t one of her strongest.

Jason was squeezed into the seat next to her and from the way his head tilted and his eyes scanned the car she knew that like her he was trying to get back into the language.

“I know that French is something like the most spoken language in the world but I haven’t used it in ages,” she whispered to him.

“B used to pick a language and we could only speak using it at breakfast or dinner or whatever. I used to be really good but same. Haven’t used French lately. A surprising amount of Romani and Kryptonian though,” Jason muttered back.

Donna turned to him with raised brows and he shot her a small smile. “B yelled at Blondie and Replacement about personal conversations during patrol and the dangers of being overheard so everyone switched over to languages we all know but people just wandering Gotham might not,” he confessed to her.

“So you want to explain _how_ you know those?” She asked, her voice still low to keep from being overheard in the crowded car.

“Well Dickiebird taught us Romani, you should hear the way he curses sometimes and don’t get me started on the Baby Bat and Arabic. Put the two together and B flips on the comms which just causes everyone to laugh and it ruins the reprimand when you’ve got Barbie snorting in your ear…” Jason trailed off with a fond smile.

It had a rocky start but Donna knew that Jason was trying to rebuild a relationship with his family. Also, that Dick had pretty much forced the wayward vigilante into having coffee once a month with “no strings attached”. Dick wouldn’t give his opinions of Jason’s lifestyle or try to get him to talk with Bruce and Jason would show up and be honest with Dick. Both brothers had taken to telling Donna their thoughts about these meetups and it seemed to slowly be working. Plus, she knew Jason was on the same comm line as the others just from what he was saying; which is better than what he mentioned about having to make a deal with Oracle just to get information a couple weeks ago.

“Oh, and the Kryptonian? B made us all learn it while we were still in pixie boots. It’s his passive aggressive one upping of Clark,” Jason rolled his eyes.

The train rattled to a stop, “Donna! Jason!” was called over the sound of doors opening and people talking and moving. Donna rose to her feet and followed the crowd to find Kori and Roy waiting for them on the platform.

“Our hotel is approximately a half of a block from here,” Kori informed them pleasantly.

“Why do people keep staring at us?” Roy asked as he fiddled with his baseball cap.

“Gee, besides the fact that we have two actual models with us? I think the hat that screams ‘American’ is definitely not helping,” Jason snarked.

Roy frowned and ripped the hat off his head, spinning Donna around to shove it in her backpack. She rolled her eyes and Jason smirked at the response.

“Donna is a photographer, not a model. And I have not held that profession for many years now,” Kori corrected Jason, missing his sarcasm as she still occasionally did.

“Oh! That reminds me! Roy while you’re rummaging around in there can you pull out my camera?” Donna asked over her shoulder. He had still been fighting with the zipper and easily pulled it back open.

“You brought your camera on a mission?” Roy asked as her handed it to her.

“Well one, recon. So it serves a purpose. And two, Paris. Cause Paris.” Donna smiled and slipped the strap around her neck. Pointing towards the stairs leading to the street she said, “Onward and Upward!”

The quartet made their way to street level and Donna just had to raise her camera to snap a picture. She couldn’t remember the last time she was here and was overwhelmed by the sight of the city. She made her way further from the metro exit and continued to take pictures.

She spun and managed to get a candid of her three friends all with awestruck expressions on their faces. She covered the lens and lowered it to look at the screen that captured the moment. Roy’s face could only be described as slack-jawed, staring around at the street and the architecture. Kori was undeniably wonderstruck, one hand gripping the skirt of her sundress with the other holding onto her hat and her shimmering green eyes wide. Jason even had a bit of smile as he ran a hand through his dark hair, the sun glinting off the frame of his aviators.

“What’re you smilin’ at Wonder-chick?” Roy asked. Donna jerked her head up to find that Roy had moved to stand next to her. Jason and Kori had come closer as well.

Donna shrugged and half tilted the camera so he could see the screen. “Just an interesting view.” She smiled at her old friend and he returned it.

“Jeez Wonders, you always this sappy?” Jason cracked, tossing her a cautious smile.

“She has been known to be. Although her early years spent around so many males means she will often repress it,” Kori teased with a wink.

Donna rolled her eyes and turned the camera so that the other two might see. “Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever you say. You’ve gotta admit it’s a nice picture.”

“You always take good pictures Donna. You know we’re just bustin’ your chops,” Roy smiled and threw his arm over her shoulder.

“Oh I know,” Donna bumped her hip against Roy’s and smiled at Jason and Kori. “Now c’mon, let’s check in to the hotel so I can go take some more.”

Kori spun on her heel and began marching off down the street. Donna shrugged off Roy and followed after her, leaving the boys to fend for themselves.

“It truthfully is a very lovely photo, Donna,” Kori said earnestly once Donna joined her.

“Thanks. I’ve missed it and it just looked right,” Donna admitted. “And you guys just look so… comfortable. In who you are and together.”

“I don’t believe any of us truly are although I fully believe that we will be.” Kori turned to look Donna in the eye as they walked.

Donna was used to Kori’s frankness and thanks in part to her upbringing she was generally unbothered by it. Although this time it threw her. She merely stumbled as she processed her friend’s words. “Do you really believe that?” Donna asked as she glanced behind them at where Roy was trying very hard to get a closed off Jason to laugh with a well-worn story involving Hal Jordan, Oliver Queen’s infamous chili, a half-dozen emus, and a close call with violating an intergalactic peace treaty all without leaving Star City.

Kori looked at the boys as well and smiled at Donna. “Yes. We won’t be like the Titans, but maybe we will be like the Outsiders. Hopefully better.”

Donna gave the alien a one-armed hug which Kori gladly returned. A two-part chorus of “aww”s came from behind them which Donna deftly ended with a neat middle finger behind her back. That forced laughs from Jason and Roy. With that Donna smiled, Kori may have certainty but Donna definitely had hope and it was growing every minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I'm hoping to get to the actual plot the next chapter with the League and all but my schedule is really starting to get busy so I don't know when I'll be able to write. Also, I just noticed I write a lot about pictures? It's a thing I do in my fics and original work a lot and I just noticed. Ok, anyway, thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some ridiculous Paris antics and some Donna feels. I promise this is going places just please stick with me as it gets there.

“This is ridiculously unhinged. Which means a lot coming from me,” Jason was standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower, eyeing the chain link fencing and Donna suspiciously.

Donna just grinned, she knew it was sharp and deadly and maybe a little unhinged like Jason said but she really couldn’t help it. She and her friends were in Paris and they’d managed to hideout on top of the Eiffel Tower after closing and were going to climb to the top of the antenna. She was excited.

“Now Jason, are you saying you don’t trust us? It’s not like Wayne Enterprises is much higher,” she couldn’t help teasing him as Roy rolled his eyes at her.

“Yeah no… See I know WE like the back of my hand. This? No. Also, the whole international incident possibility is a huge deterrent for me,” Jason admitted.

Donna smoothed the plain black t-shirt that she was wearing as she shrugged. “We’re not going to get caught and if we are we’re not in uniform so no incidents. Also, technically only Roy would be the one causing any international woes since I’m an Amazon, Kori a Tameranian, and you’re legally dead.” Donna gave Jason a winning smile as Roy froze in his set up of the climbing gear for himself and Jason.

“Hold up, are you seriously throwing me under the bus like that?” He asked.

“It would seem so,” Kori said with a mischievous tilt to her lips. Donna watched as Kori twisted her long hair into a huge bun on top of her head before covering it with a black beanie.

She began braiding back her own hair as Roy tossed Jason a harness and climbed into his own. Donna nodded at Kori and the other woman’s hand began to glow with a fiery green light. Stepping toward the fencing Kori held out a finger and carefully melted three sides of a square into the metal. Extinguishing her hand she pushed it open, bending the remaining side and turning it into a door.

Donna looked to the guys. “You ready?”

“Let’s go. Wally is going to shit a brick when he hears we did this,” Roy smirked and passed the ropes he’d be using to belay to Donna who was going to fly to the very top and attach them.

Donna slipped out the hole that Kori had made and shot towards the sky, ensuring the ropes had slack so she didn’t accidentally drag Roy with her. She hooked them up to the base of the antennae before returning to the platform.

“Jason has agreed to climb as well,” Kori informed her with a smile.

Donna grinned and took the ropes he handed her. “What made you change your mind?”

“Well when am I gonna ever be able to do this again without Batman up my ass about it? I mean, you only live twice,” Jason smiled slightly at his own joke and Donna let out a soft snort.

She heard Roy groan and mutter something that sounded suspiciously like “Freakin’ birds and their shitty jokes.” To which Kori laughed.

Donna kept her comments to herself and repeated the same process that she did with Roy’s ropes for Jason. With the boys’ safety ensured she and Kori hovered just outside the platform as the others climbed out and began their ascent. Donna flanked Roy, ensuring his safety should something happen while Kori did the same for Jason.

“What exactly gave you this nutso idea Dons?” He asked as he climbed to the roof of the platform.

“I just wanted to see Paris. I’ve never really been able to before,” she admitted.

“So illegally scaling the Eiffel Tower at night was how you wanted to do it? Hoping a tour bus would’ve been a helluva lot easier.”

She rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms as she floated. “Well where’s the fun in that Mr. Adrenaline Junkie?”

“When did you stop being the mom-friend?” Roy joked. Donna furrowed her brows and felt herself lose some altitude. “Hey, what’s wrong?” Roy called, noticing the sudden shift in her mood.

Donna caught up to the slight lead he had achieved. “I don’t mean to be the ‘mom-friend’,” she grumbled and used air quotes because when you’re floating hundreds of feet off the ground it was hard not to be slightly melodramatic.

“Hey, I know. I didn’t mean anything by it.” Roy had stopped and looked at her, worry crinkling his expression.

“I know. It’s just, you’re right. I was always the Wendy among a group of Lost Boys. I won’t deny it and I don’t regret it but it’s true. I never really got to goof off and just have fun because I was always the responsible one,” Donna shrugged, hugging herself. “I realized not too long ago that I want to _live_ my life and not just go through the motions. Which means having fun and this seemed like fun.”

Roy studied her and Donna squirmed. It was weird seeing him without a mask doing something that was more of an Arsenal thing rather than a Roy Harper thing and that made her brain misfire ever so slightly. The way he was considering her and his response really didn’t help make her feel comfortable with her confession. He finally shook his head with a chuckle and a slight grin. “First off, if it helps I always thought of you as Tinkerbell.” Donna smiled at that as he continued. “And I get it, really. You really have been the responsible one, especially when you consider the amount of times you’ve shot down Dick’s more harebrained ideas. You deserve the chance to have fun and I’m honestly honored that you thought to include me on this little adventure.”

Donna felt her face heat up, she couldn’t remember the last time Roy and her had been so open with each other. Probably just after Lian died and before he was tricked into joining Deathstroke and Cheshire. “Thanks Roy. Honestly,” she whispered.

“Course. I’m here for you Donna, just like you’ve always been for me. Now c’mon, before Jason and Kori beat us,” he twitched his lips up into a smile that Donna returned.

“I didn’t know that this was a race?” Donna teased.

“When it comes to the bats it’s always a competition and you know it.” Donna laughed and followed him as they hurried their way to the top.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's fanart of this fic? I'm shocked and honored. Check it out by @super-batgirl on her tumblr. Here's the link! https://super-batgirl.tumblr.com/post/165861866406/kori-and-jason-walking-through-paris-in

Sitting at an outdoor café on Montmartre Jason scanned the passing crowds of tourists and locals from behind his aviators. Kori was chattering with the waiter about their breakfast while Roy was scarfing down his fifth helping. Donna was teasing him about his sudden change in appetite and Roy was complaining that between their stunt the night before and the hike up the steps so that Donna could visit Sacré-Cœur earned him the right to eat like Wally.

The sun on his leather jacket was warming Jason’s shoulders and he was glad that he brought his own backpack today, if only so he could shove his jacket into it has the day got hotter. It was still relatively early and yet the city was already buzzing around them. Jason stifled a yawn by taking another sip of his coffee. Donna must have seen though because she shot him a smirk. Jason wrinkled his nose and stuck his tongue out at her over the lip of the cup.

The waiter finally left with a wink and his number scrawled on the back of their check. Kori laughed and tossed it to Jason. He raised his eyebrow. “I thought that Queen was footing the bill.”

Roy had already pulled out his wallet and began rummaging around when he looked up at them in confusion. “Uh, he is? Or well I am by proxy?”

Kori shook her head and laughed. “He left his telephone number for you Jason. He asked me if I might make sure my ‘very tall, dark, and handsome friend’ called him.”

Jason could feel himself blushing and just knew that his ears were bright red. He blinked and opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Instead he just sat there gaping at them like a freshly caught fish.

“Oh, that’s adorable. Jason, you should see your face! Is this the first time you’ve been hit on?” Donna looked genuinely curious but her eyes sparkled with mirth.

“Uh, well. I mean- Maybe?” Jason managed to stutter out. He was still recovering, or at least trying to.

“Nah,” Roy said shaking his head and setting some bills on the table. “Good looking guy like you? Can’t be the first time.”

Jason could feel his face heating up again. “I don’t exactly go out much,” he muttered defensively.

Donna reached over and began to rub reassuring circles on his back. “It’s ok Jay. We just think it’s sweet is all.” She smiled and he began to relax, leaning into her touch.

“He is very handsome and the way he spoke was quite flattering, I would consider at the very least calling him,” Kori suggested with an easy shrugged.

Robotically, Jason reached his arm out and grabbed the check off the table, stuffing it in the pocket of his jacket.

Roy shook his head as he stood from the table. “Stop antagonizing him you two,” he jokingly scolded the girls.

“It’s done out of love,” Donna promised with a smile as she too rose. She offered a hand to Jason to pull him to his feet and he begrudgingly accepted it. He pushed his aviators further up his nose and staunchly refused to look at the others as they wandered down the street. Donna fell in step with him and hooked her arm through his, leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked. He turned his head to catch her eye and raise a brow. She was the same height as him and was quite literally bending sideways to accomplish her attempted display of affection. Donna laughed and straightened when she noticed his expression, patting his arm. “It’s true you know. I only really tease the people I care about.”

Jason couldn’t help the smile that grew on his lips. “Oh really? Then that mean you care about HIVE and who else, the Fearsome Five or whatever?”

Donna scoffed. “There’s a difference between quips and teasing and you know it mister.”

Jason chuckled. “So where exactly are we going? This is your trip, mission, whatever.” He flailed his hands around slightly, searching for the right expression.

Roy turned from where he and Kori had been walking in front of them down the narrow street. There was a glint in his eyes that when accompanied with the razor-sharp grin he was wearing gave the redhead a slightly manic expression. Jason unconsciously tensed, unsure of what Roy was going to say. “Well since you asked…” Roy said in a slight singsong. “We’re goin’ wabbit huntin’.” He ended viscously, giving his brows a wild waggle.

At Jason’s side Donna threw her head back and laughed. Kori had stopped, confusion in her eyes. “I was under the impression that we were doing a preliminary pass of the townhouse housing the League of Assassin’s headquarters here in Paris?” Her head tilted to the side, causing her some long red hair to slip over her shoulder.

“Oh c’mon Kori, I know for a fact that between Dick and Gar you’ve seen Loony Tunes,” Roy rolled his eyes.

Jason watched with amusement as mischief flickered across the alien’s face before her expression returned to that of a child who just discovered their parents had just left them in the middle of an aisle of the grocery store looking at something while mom or dad where halfway to the deli section. “I must apologize for I know not of what you speak,” Kori said innocently.

Roy stopped walking, causing a very annoyed couple to nearly run into him and then grumble at this. “You don’t know what Loony Tunes is?” Roy asked scandalized.

Jason glanced over to Donna who was biting her lip and trying not to laugh. Figuring he had nothing to lose – and Kori had been almost obnoxiously genuine in her desire to befriend him – Jason decided to join in on her prank. “I dunno, Dick was pretty over Loony Tunes by the time I got to know him which was only a few years after you did I guess,” he said gesturing to Kori. “He was halfway through a pretty intense NCIS phase then.” Which Jason knew was completely true.

Kori nodded solemnly. “Yes. I know of Gibbs and Ziva and McGee.”

“And Ducky and Abby and DiNozzo,” Jason added.

“Oh yes! Abby is my favorite!” Kori beamed at him and Jason knew in that instant that they had become friends. He and Kori were going to have a lot of fun together if they managed to play similar tricks on his family.

“You watched NCIS?!” Roy asked incredulously. If Jason had to guess he’d say that they’d gotten Roy irreversibly sidetracked. The fact that Donna was silently shaking with contained laughter next to him pretty much confirmed his suspicions.

“I do not understand how you are surprised by this,” Kori blinked, the corners of her lips beginning to twitch.

“You’re telling me that we could’ve talked about the travesty that is the show without Ziva for _months_ now? And we just… Haven’t?” Roy still seemed too shocked to fully function so Jason grabbed his elbow and began tugging him down the street. Donna had already started walking or otherwise she would’ve lost it.

Kori shook her head. “Oh no. I said I _watched_ NCIS. I have not kept up with it.”

Jason chuckled. “You probably stopped cause Dick ruined it, right?”

“He loves them and just cannot stand them,” she sighed in agreement.

“At least you never dealt with his Scooby-Doo phase,” Roy muttered as they caught up with Donna.

“Whatever you say, Speedy Gonzales,” Kori smirked before giggling and taking off down the street.

Roy turned wide eyes to Donna. “She just made a Loony Tunes reference! But- I- what?”

Donna patted his shoulder in feigned sympathy. Jason couldn’t keep a straight face any longer and burst out laughing.

“Roy honey, I’d say I’m sorry but that was funny as hell,” Donna told him.

The slump of Roy’s shoulders told Jason that he was sulking. Which was fair enough, he and Kori had really gotten the archer. His partner in crime had stopped at the end of the street, staring up at them. Jason elongated his strides and reached Kori before Donna and Roy.

She looked at something on her phone before studying the house she was standing opposite. “This is the address you gave us. Does this look familiar Jason?” Kori asked kindly, nodding towards the pretty three-story townhouse.

“I’ve gotta admit that I’ve never been to this one, just had records on it.”

She nodded and glanced back as the others joined them.

“Doesn’t look too threatening,” Donna said, pulling her camera up to snap pictures. If anyone asked they were interested in the architecture. “Roy, stay here and watch my back. Kori, Jason, take a walk and see what you can find.”

Jason swept his arms out in a motion for Kori to take the lead. “After you, Princess.” She smiled and linked her arm with Jason’s before setting off further down the street in search of a back entrance.

“We shall meet up with you a bit!” She called over Jason’s shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all the readers new and old! I think this is the longest chapter? And I hope you all really enjoy it!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Posting for Roy's birthday even though there's like no Roy in this chapter. Oh well. Let me know what you guys think and always feel free to hit me up on tumblr at thelittleredheadedmusician.

Jason was walking lazily with Kori as they rounded a bend in the street to the alley that led behind the row of houses. He counted to the fifth one in from the alley’s opening to the street and jerked his chin at it.

“I see it,” Kori whispered. She grabbed Jason’s hand and interlocked their fingers. He jumped slightly and tried to release her hand. Kori just tightened her grip and gave a small shake of her head. Leaning in so that her hair and breath tickled his ear Kori whispered to him. “Pretend we are tourists, lost lovers looking for a nice dark corner. I’m sure your skills extend to acting.”

Jason gave an involuntary shiver but nodded as she pulled away. She smiled and tugged him closer, resting her other hand on his bicep as they continued down the street. They made their way lazily to the back of the house owned by the Al Ghul’s. Swerving this way and that across the alley as Kori threw her head back and laughed. Jason smiled and turned to look at her with a big, goofy grin. She winked and gave him a genuine smile as Jason began to let himself fall into the performance.

Still smiling Jason turned his head to look up at the clear blue sky before letting his gaze fall onto the houses and the League’s in particular. He counted no less than ten security cameras glinting in the mid-morning sunlight. Jason turned to Kori and whispered in her ear. “Ten cameras at least. One on the door and each window and two more under the gutters watching the street.”

Kori giggled and raised her eyebrows in a quick twitch. They were nearly in front of the place now and Jason watched as Kori’s emerald like eyes drifted from his face to settle on something over her shoulder. She gave a squeal of delight and began dragging him toward the house’s back door. A large, old wooden thing with scrolls and fleur de leis carved into it. “Look at this door!” she gushed, releasing his hand and racing toward. “Pumpkin! Pictures! Please? For my insta?” she pouted as she leaned against it.

Jason fished his phone out of his pocket and smiled. Kori was brilliant, this was the perfect excuse for taking pictures and seeing if the place had a silent alarm as Kori pressed herself further into the little alcove. Jason began taking pictures of the doors, windows, and cameras as Kori posed; perfectly playing a young woman enjoying her vacation. As she flipped her hair and smiled she purposefully jiggled the doorknob.

He laughed as the door swung inward and Kori stumbled backward, the perfect look of surprised innocence on her face. Jason slipped his phone into the pocket of his leather jacket as he rushed to Kori’s side.

“Babe, you ok? You good?” He asked, voice dripping concern. Grabbing Kori’s elbow he pulled her away from the door and the large scowling assassin who stood there.

“I wasn’t expecting the door to open! I’m so sorry! Did we disturb you? It truly was an accident. Oh, pumpkin! I’m so embarrassed,” Kori’s eyes were round, her red painted lips forming a perfect O as she looked between Jason and the other man.

Looking up at the guy loitering in the doorway who was a good foot taller than himself and about twice as wide Jason counted no less than three guns and a dozen and a half knives hidden on the man. “Lookit man, I’m sorry. My girl just wanted to take some artsy pics while we’re here on vacation. We really didn’t mean to bother you. Uh- babe, what’s ‘I’m so sorry’ in French?”

“Pardon?” Kori tried half-heartedly, blinking up at the walking embodiment of a Bond thug. She gave a weak smile and huddled into Jason’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her and set his chin on her shoulder, Kori was too tall for him to tuck her head under his chin.

The guy shook his head and held up his large, scared hands. “Is good. We have silent alarm and you must have triggered it. No problem. But please, take pictures somewhere else. Yes?” He said with the barest hint of a Russian accent.

“Oh yes.” “Absolutely.” They said at the same time. Jason tightened his grip round Kori and began pulling her with him as he backed away.

“We’ll just go now,” Jason said with a half-smile.

“Thank you very much for understanding! You have a beautiful home!” Kori called over her shoulder and waved as they walked away.

The guy just grunted and closed the door. They held hands and played the cutesy couple until they were back on the main road. Seeing Donna and Roy a little ways down the street eating frozen yogurt Kori smiled and waved.

Donna bumped her hip against Jason’s once he and Kori reached them. “So how’d it go? Get any good intel? See any cute guys?” Donna grinned as she teased him.

“Only if you count an actual fucking giant who walked off the set of a Cold War era spy flick cute?” Jason asked.

Kori rolled her eyes as Roy gave a middle school-esque “Ooooooooooooh. Sounds cute.”

“Jason got pictures and we know there’s a silent alarm on the doorknob with at least one guard,” Kori supplied, taking a lick of Roy’s fro-yo. He grumbled but allowed it.

“At least ten cameras. Guard’s pretty heavily armed but he’s slow and favors his left side. There’s an attic window that’s in a blind spot but it’s small. And I mean tiny. _Tiny_. Like demon brat wouldn’t fit and the kid’s barely four feet,” Jason told them.

“Our luck wasn’t much better,” Roy admitted. “I’ve broken into superhero bases with less security. Hell, I think the Tower, my old Outsiders base, and Dick’s apartment have less security _combined_.”

Donna shook her head. “We need those files but we also need to regroup. This is going to be a lot harder than we originally intended.”

“Well we have time, a nice hotel, and unlimited funds,” Kori placed a reassuring hand on Donna’s shoulder. “Let us enjoy the daylight and tonight we can regroup, ok?”

They all nodded and Jason felt his phone buzz in his pocket. The others began to walk away but Jason lagged behind as he fished the device out and read the name on the screen. It was a text from Bruce. Jason frowned but swiped it open, scanning the lines quickly.

_‘Be careful. You have some good teammates but I’m not the only one who thinks that two of them are compromised right now. I know you won’t believe this but I do want you to call if you need me. I know you can handle this but right now I don’t think your team can.’_

Blinking Jason locked the phone and slipped it back into his pocket.

“Jason? Is everything alright?” Kori asked from where they had paused, waiting for him.

“Uh yeah. Just my family being dumb. The usual,” Jason said, jogging to catch up.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one got a bit heavy. I'm sorry. Guest appearance by Dinah though! Makes up for it?

Their hotel suite pretty much embodied the word swanky and Roy intended on taking full advantage of it. He was currently soaking in the large jacuzzi tub while in the next room the others worked out the million and one problems they faced by trying to break into a League of Assassins stronghold. From the pocket of his jeans where they lay on the tile floor came an incessant buzzing, meaning someone was trying to call him. Half leaning out of the tub Roy dragged the pants toward him and fished out his phone, answering it without looking at the name on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Hey! Roy honey! I hadn’t heard from you in a while and I was starting to get worried!”

Roy relaxed back into the water, right hand holding the device to his ear as he smiled. “Hey Dinah. I’m fine and you really aren’t one to talk about not returning phone calls with the types of missions Oracle sends you on.”

“Hey, I’m practically your mom so that gives me the right to be a hypocrite when talking to you,” Dinah teased him.

“Yeah sure, whatever _Mom_ ,” Roy laughed.

“Ok, on second thought never call me that again. I literally felt the shiver of death down my spine with how old you just made me feel.”

Roy snorted and turned on the tap for more hot water with his foot. “You’re still younger than Ollie.”

“And thank god for that! You know that he was moaning and groaning the other day that his joints hurt and when he went to see him that Doctor Mid-Nite told him he needed to start taking vitamin supplements,” Dinah giggled and Roy knew she was probably shaking her head as she laughed. “Should’ve heard Mia and Connor’s response to that! Oh boy, that’s all they talked about during patrol. And O overheard it and now I’m positive Bats knows because a positively huge box of vitamins showed up at the brownstone today with no note attached but I think we all know it’s from Bruce.”

Roy rolled his eyes, only his family would turn growing older into an ongoing gag. “I’m glad to hear that Ollie’s still getting the crap he deserves even when I’m not there.”

“Oh don’t worry, Mia has more than stepped up to the plate.”

“That’s my girl,” Roy smiled. “Now enough beating around the metaphorical bush, what do you want Dinah?”

She gave him a loud mock gasp and Roy could see her clutching at her chest like some old Hollywood starlet. “Roy!” Dinah admonished, loud enough that he had to pull the cell phone away from his ear.

“Tell me I’m wrong, that there’s not some ulterior motive to this little chat,” he challenged.

Dinah grumbled. “Ok, so you got me.”

“What is it?”

“It’s just… There’s some rumors going around about your new team…”

“More than when you and Oracle first started up?”

“Ok, mean. And also not those kinds of rumors,” Dinah’s voice had gotten harsher, more serious.

Roy frowned and turned off the jets. Pulling the plug he reached for a fluffy white towel as the water drained. Patting himself dry he wrapped the towel around his waist and went to sit on the lid of the toilet, studying the bidet while he waited for Dinah to continue. When after a few more seconds she didn’t Roy grumbled, low in the back of his throat. “C’mon Di, spit it out already. What’s got you so worried you felt the need to call me just to rumor bust?”

He could hear Dinah take in a deep breath before she spoke. “Are you sure that you’re making the best decisions for not only yourself but the others when you’re so emotionally tied to what you’re doing? Is Donna really in the right mindset right now to lead you guys? Are you in the right mindset? And you’ve got Jason ‘I Died Once and Crawled Out of a Lazarus Pit’ Todd running with you. Honestly, the only person I’m not worried about is Kori and I’m worried that she might get hurt trying to keep all of you together,” she said all of this in a rush.

Roy leaned back slightly, running his hand through his hair as he tried to process what Dinah had just said. For a few more seconds he could do nothing but blink unseeingly at the lavish bathroom fixtures. “Wow,” he finally breathed.

“Look, Roy honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to come off the way it did. I’m just worried about you. I didn’t even know what you were doing until Babs told me you were in Paris. I mean, I thought you were with the Titans rebuilding the Tower for the twentieth time! And I know Dick is really worried about you guys too, you all pretty much kidnap his, arguably, most psychotic little brother and then dropped off the grid. Barbara has been practically giving him therapy over the comms.”

Roy winced, they’d never intended to worry anyone and he’d been hoping to keep Dick in the dark about the whole thing, not give him an ulcer over it. “Look Dinah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to give anyone a panic attack over me and I’m sure that Donna, Kori, and Jason didn’t either. And we’re fine, we know what we’re doing just… trust us? Please?”

“I do trust you Roy,” Dinah sighed, he could picture her curled up on the couch in the Brownstone in Star. Her head in her hand as she wound her fingers through her blonde hair. Oliver was probably still at work and Mia was likely training. They’d just got the whole house back together after Prometheus’s attack and his little sister still hated being anywhere near the place without at least two other people around. “Promise me you’ll be careful? Please? I don’t think I could handle losing you too.”

Roy felt something in his chest ache as his lips twitched up into a smile she couldn’t see. “Yeah, I promise. I’ll be careful.”

“Thanks, that’s all I ask for. Now I’ll let you go, I should probably track down Mia and see if she wants a sparring partner. Be good, have fun in Paris. Love you.”

“Love you too,” Roy said before he pulled the phone away from his ear and hung up. Letting it drop into his lap Roy let out a deep sigh and cupped his face in his hands. The ache in his chest wasn’t disappearing and he knew it wasn’t a physical problem. He was going to try and keep his promise but Roy knew that there was a big chance he was going to let Dinah down.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was fun to write, I just hope you guys don't get too turned off by the drama. Also, rated t for a reason as language tends to get a little more colorful in this one.

Once he’d gotten dressed in some old sweats and t-shirt Roy wandered into the main room of the suite. There was a stack of room-service plates scattered between the papers, laptops, and hologram projectors. Roy flopped onto the ornate couch next to Kori, once he was settled she swung her legs up to set in his lap and Roy patted Kori’s bunny slipper clad feet.

She glanced at him over her mug of what looked like hot chocolate but judging by the bottle sitting on the floor next to her was likely heavily spiked with peppermint vodka. Kori tilted her head as she continued to study him. “Is everything all right Roy?”

Roy gave her a smile, he felt that it was strained into a grimace and quickly dropped it. “Yeah, peachy. Just tired, long day and all.”

Kori continued to look at him with that piercing green gaze of hers. After a few more seconds she nodded. Roy felt himself relax slightly, letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

He leaned forward and poured himself a mug of coffee from the pot on the low table. Roy glanced at the couch across from the table where Donna and Jason were sitting. Donna was talking animatedly to Jason but the other man was looking at him. His brows were furrowed slightly and Roy again knew that Jason was seeing through his carefree façade.

Leaning back Roy took a sip of his coffee, maintaining eye contact with Jason the whole time.

“Roy, can I speak with you? In private?” Jason asked, moving to get to his feet.

Nodding Roy set his mug back on the coffee table. Tapping Kori’s feet so that she would move them off his lap, she complied and Roy stood. Jason inclined his head toward the entry hall and Roy followed.

“You’re hiding something,” Jason accused. His chin jutted towards Roy as he slipped his hands into his jeans pockets.

“You’re one to talk,” Roy shot back. He crossed his arms and he knew he was going on the defensive but he couldn’t help it. Jason couldn’t just try and start a fight without expecting Roy to fight back. Not to mention he could read Jason just as well as Jason could read him and so Roy sure as hell was going to fight fire with fire.

Jason’s expression darkened, he leaned back against the wall and looked down his nose at Roy. Something the other man was only able to do thanks to the few inches of height he had on Roy.

“My business is my business and not yours, Harper. You and Donna are the ones calling the shots here and you know it. I’m not going to be getting myself killed just because you’re keeping some of your cards close to your chest,” Jason spoke low, viciously. Roy could feel his temper rising just from that tone and he straightened up, attempting to gain back some height now that Jason was slouching.

“That’s a pretty analogy coming from a crime boss,” Roy smirked as Jason bristled. “And where’s this sudden suspicion coming from anyway? You seemed fine cuddling up with the girls.”

“Gee I don’t know, maybe because you came out of a fucking bubble bath cagier than when you went into one? Maybe it’s just me but a nice hotel like this with a soaker tub is normally pretty relaxing.”

“Says the guy who’s been on edge since we left Mont Maître. In case you haven’t noticed, _Jason_ , I can read you just as well as you can read me,” Roy spat back.

Roy held his ground as Jason’s eyes widened and he whipped his hands out of his pockets, clenching them into fists at his side. “I already told you, my business is my business and that certainly applies to when I get a text from my family.”

Something in Roy’s gut tightened and his jaw clenched. “Lemme guess, that text was your golden boy big brother telling you to be careful around his druggie friend? Saying that you should watch out for his ex-fiancée and bestie for him?” Roy hissed. The call from Dinah still fresh in his mind with her talk of gossip going on back home.

Jason snapped, grabbing Roy by the front of his shirt and pulling him until Roy was close enough to feel Jason’s ragged breath on his face. “Get this through your head, Harper: My brothers thoughts and feelings and decisions have no effect on me. I am my own person and I do what I want.”

“So then why don’t you tell me I’m wrong?” Roy smirked. He was so on edge at this point that he almost wanted Jason to punch him so he could swing back and release it. Roy knew he was taunting him, that face could get a rise out of Deathstroke the Terminator himself in this sort of situation. Yet, Jason didn’t take the bait. Instead looking at him for a few seconds longer before releasing him and backing away.

“If you’re so damn nosy, the text was from Bruce. But unless you want to risk stealing my phone that’s all you’re going to learn about it.”

“Gee, thanks but I didn’t ask. You’re the one who confronted me.”

“Yeah and I still didn’t get an answer but you know what? I don’t even care anymore. Get your shit together and we won’t have a problem. But you don’t? And you risk any of our lives, including your own? Then we’ll be having another conversation and it won’t be quite this civil,” Jason threatened before storming off.

Roy scoffed to himself and rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Civil.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter? Bit of an interlude in the melodrama imo. As always I love hearing your thoughts! So feel free to drop me a comment or an ask on tumblr @ thelittleredheadedmusician

Kori had shared a glance with Donna when the boys had left, when Jason stormed past them and slammed the door to his bedroom they shared another. Swinging her legs back off of the couch she eyed Roy as he walked back into the suite’s living room a few seconds after Jason. Kori grabbed Roy’s coffee off the table and passed it to him as he settled beside her again.

“You wanna share with the class?” Donna asked, a tilt to her head and the laugh in her voice barely concealing the worry.

Roy shook his head as he took the coffee from Kori. She noticed his hand shake, not major but enough that she frowned at him once he caught her eye. Roy quickly dropped his gaze to his mug. She couldn’t help but notice his avoidance of her unasked question. Pushing herself so that she was now sitting facing him on the couch Kori crossed her hands in her lap, playing with the hem of her shirt.

“Roy?” she asked softly. “What did you and Jason talk about?”

There was a pause and Kori could hear Donna skootch closer on the opposite couch. “It’s nothing. Honest,” Roy finally said into his mug.

“You don’t have to tell us what you talked about but can you at least explain why you’re both in such a bad mood now?” Donna asked gently. Kori glanced over at her friend, the other woman was perched barely on the edge of the cushion. She was so desperate to figure out what was wrong and how to comfort Roy that she was tense in anticipation of what he said next. Her lips were folded into a tight line and her hands were clasping her knees.

Kori turned her attention back to Roy in time to see his chest rise as he inhaled. He held the breath for a few seconds and Kori couldn’t help but hold her own. Continuing to worry at her shirt’s hem she was suddenly reminded of her time spent with Roy over the years and how he’d often shut down when confronted. Finally, he released his breath and Kori felt herself begin to breath normally in response.

“It’s just a disagreement s’all,” Roy said with a shake of his head. “We’re both hotheads, things were said that neither of us meant and we got rightfully mad. He just needs some time to cool off s’all.”

Donna nodded and rose to her feet, moving to settle herself on the arm of the couch on Roy’s other side. She slung an arm around his shoulders and pulled him into a one-armed hug. Kori leaned forward and placed her hand on Roy’s wrist.

“I am sure that you will both realize this soon. And you and Richard often have similar disagreements with each other and yet you remain great friends,” Kori told him with her most reassuring smile.

Roy barked out a low laugh. “That’s the thing that we should keep reminding ourselves, Jason isn’t Dick. They’re brothers sure and they have the same training and similar backgrounds and hell they even have the same coloring! But they’re not the same person. I’m not Jason’s friend, and after that I don’t think he really wants me to be, so I don’t know if he’s going to just get over it.”

Looking over the top of his head Kori shared a glance with Donna. The other woman nodded, unsure and slowly at first before becoming more confident. “You’re right Roy. I’ve know Jay for a while and he’s not his brothers or Bruce and we need to remember that. It’s easy for me to do that when it’s just us or we’re with Kyle or whatever but I keep finding myself falling into our Titans dynamic and that’s not right. We’ve got to make that conscious effort and, you’re going to hate me for saying this, but I think we need some team building.” Donna paused as Roy groaned, Kori couldn’t hide her slight smile. “It’s true. New team, new dynamic. We can’t afford too many of these disagreements, especially if we’re going up against the League.”

“Donna is right,” Kori interjected before Roy could complain. “Our recon went well but if you and Jason cannot trust each other, if Jason cannot trust any of us for any reason or we him, then things may not end well.”

“I know, I know,” Roy sighed. “Just thought at this point in my life I’d be exempt from training exercises. Or at the very least ‘team building’.” Roy curled his lip as he made the air quotes. Kori giggled as she gently pushed him into Donna.

“If the Princess of Tameran is participating then you can too.” She raised her head, straightening her spine and fixing her face with her haughtiest expression. Kori held the pose as Donna and Roy shared an incredulous look. Kori allowed the corners of her lips to twitch as she rose to her feet, posture as perfect as ever. “Now if you will excuse me, I am going to practice my diplomacy on our wayward bird.”

As she walked towards the closed door of Jason’s room Kori heard Roy call after her “Y’know that you’re scarier like that than when you do the whole glowy eye bit!”

Casting a smirk over her shoulder she winked at her friends, still perched on the couch. “Oh, I know.”


	14. Chapter 14

Kori knocked lightly as she edged open the door to Jason’s room. “Hello? Jason? Is it ok if I come in?” Peeking around the doorframe she could see him sprawled on his back on the plush king-sized bed, a beat-up paper back held in front of his nose. He shifted the book slightly and met her eyes. Kori gave him her best ‘I just want to talk’ smile and prayed that X’hal was on her side for this.

He refocused on the book but said, “you can come in.”

Kori said a silent thanks and slipped through the door. She glanced around the room before settling herself in an overstuffed armchair next to the window. Jason just flipped the page as she slipped her long red hair over her left shoulder. 

“What are you reading?” Kori asked with genuine curiosity.

Jason looked over at her, a bit of a dazed and confused expression on his face as he pulled himself from the literary world. “Oh, uh- American Gods? It’s a Neil Gaiman book, it’s got a tv show out now I guess? Steph wants me to watch the show with her cause I guess Kirsten Chenowith is in it and she thinks I’d enjoy it or something but I refuse to watch something before reading the book. Call me old fashioned.” He smiled a bit ruefully, shifting to sit upright on the bed.

Kori nodded, she too found that she often enjoyed reading the source material first. Garfield had insisted that it was the only way to be introduced to Harry Potter and Kori had found that she really couldn’t disagree with him. It certainly made the excitement for the midnight premiers that they used to attend all the more enjoyable. “What is it about?”

“Um, I’m not too sure?” Jason chuckled, setting the book face down on the bed so as not to lose his place he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not too far into it. The concept is like all the gods of mythology are alive in America, brought here by immigrants over the years, but they’re dying as they’re replaced with the new gods of tv and the internet.” 

“That sounds… unique? I’m surprised you have not read it before, that poor book looks very well loved.”

“I only buy second hand. Saves money and if someone loved something enough to share it then maybe I should give it my appreciation too. Least that’s my philosophy.” Jason trailed off, he seemed slightly embarrassed by his candor.

Kori smiled brightly. “Yes, I agree completely.”

Jason smiled back at her, a little sheepishly but no less genuine. He cleared his throat and looked back down at the book, his scarred fingers playing with the bent-up cover. “So, uh, you came in here to talk about something I’m guessing?”

“I wanted to see if you were all right. You seemed rather upset when you passed by Donna and myself and Roy mentioned that you two had a fight.” Kori tilted her head, nerves causing her to bite her lower lip as she waited for Jason’s reply.

“I wouldn’t call it a fight…” It sounded almost as if Jason was whining and Kori could almost see the annoying little brother that Dick had called him back when he first became Robin. “It was really more of a disagreement. A loud, heated disagreement but definitely verbal and definitely not a fight.”

Kori couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at him, “I see.” She was suddenly reminded of all the times she confronted Garfield, Bart, and Conner about who broke what in Titans Tower and who was to blame for the lack of cleaning it up.

“It’s really nothing to worry about. Honestly.” 

“I would not say that. We are a team Jason and if you cannot work out your differences then we have reason to be concerned.”

Jason nodded, Kori couldn’t help but feel like he was rolling his eyes at her. “Yeah, I get that. You really don’t have to worry about it Princess.”

“As long as you believe that this will not be a problem going forward?”

“Nope. Trust me.”

Kori wasn’t quite sure if she could, something told her that Jason and Roy were going to clash from time to time. What was more she had the sense that both of them were purposefully shielding her and Donna from that nature of their argument. For good or bad that made her uneasy.

“Ok, Jason. However, Donna already called for teambuilding and I wholeheartedly back her on it.” Kori smirked at him, rising to her feet and beginning to move towards the door.

“Uh uh, no way. I do not do trust falls. I had enough crazy trust building activities back when I was dressed like a traffic light and I do not need more,” Jason’s eyes were wide and Kori couldn’t quite tell if it was with terror or embarrassment at the thought.

“Too late, Princess Donna Troy has spoken,” Kori laughed.

“Can’t you do some kind of overruling as a princess too?”

“Jason, I already told you I gave Donna my support. Where is your sense of adventure?”

“In Gotham, I brought my self-preservation instead.”

Kori laughed as she left the room, closing the door behind her.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sooo sorry for the long hiatus. I had finals and then I kinda took a break from writing and comics. I'm back to writing now! But my semester is insane, hopefully it won't be this long again but I can't in good conscience make any promises.

The rest of the night was passed with Jason sulking in his room while Roy good naturedly tried to get Kori to rescind her support of Donna’s teambuilding activities. Donna herself had a very tense conversation via text message with Dick. It ended with her sending a string of the middle finger emoji before temporarily blocking his number and throwing her phone at the couch on the other side of the room. Luckily Kori and Roy had both gone to bed at that point so they missed her temper tantrum, meaning she didn’t have to be an adult and try and explain her reasoning for even trying to reach out to Dick in the first place.

She let herself fall back onto the couch. She knew she should make the short walk to her own room and what was most assuredly an extremely plush bed there. However, Donna was tired. Today had been long and Jason and Roy’s little spat combined with her failed attempt to get advice from one of her best friends made her stressed. The fatigue and stress swirled together, weighing down her limbs until she felt that it had chained her to the couch. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing; it was a very nice couch. And once she stretched out and closed her eyes Donna was fast asleep.

She was woken the next morning by Roy gently nudging her shoulder. “Did you spend the whole night here?” He asked, worry in his voice and creasing his brow.

Donna wrinkled her nose as she stretched, frowning out at the room. The plates and cups from the night before had been neatly stacked on the cart that would be gathered by the hotel staff when they left. Roy sat on the now clear coffee table, still in his sweats from the night before with a fresh mug of coffee in his hand.

“Whu time s’it?” Donna asked around a yawn. She shifted into a more upright position and Roy held the mug out to her. She accepted it with a raised brow, but he pulled a second one from behind his back.

“A little after seven. I don’t know about you, but my weird ass parental figure didn’t make us do any type of team building until after eight at the least,” Roy smirked.

She let out a snort before taking a sip of her coffee. “Can’t do anything until the whole team is awake,” Donna told him wryly.

“Well lucky for us Kori is still getting her unneeded beauty sleep and Jason is still barricaded in his room as if we called for an impromptu performance of Les Mis.”

Donna nearly spit her coffee into Roy’s face. “Did you honestly just make a musical reference? You.” She tried to give him her signature incredulously raised eyebrow. However, her lips betrayed her by twitching upwards into a laugh.

Roy shrugged and chuckled. “Take it out on Mia. She’s been ‘educating’ me with her favorites on what feels like loop lately.”

Donna narrowed her eyes, studying him. He seemed to be blushing, his ears were definitely redder than they were normally. Although not quite the same red as his hair. After letting him squirm for a few more seconds Donna chuckled. “I’ll let you get away with it under the guise that we _are_ in Paris and I know you know your world history.”

“You’re too kind,” Roy said sarcastically, relaxing slightly as he moved to rest his elbows on his knees.

Donna smirked at him over the rim of her mug. “Just remember that when I start instituting trust falls.” She winked and took a sip of the coffee as Roy paled slightly. She had to fight to keep from choking on her coffee as she tried not to laugh at his expression.

He must have noticed her shoulders shaking because Roy’s face relaxed into an unamused glare. He reached an arm out and gently punched her bicep. “You suck,” he grumbled.

“But your face! Was so good!”

“You’re such a jerk! I thought you were being serious,” Roy laughed but his expression remained crumpled in annoyance.

Donna snorted, she leaned forward to set her mug on the coffee table next to Roy before cracking her back. “Hera no. I _despise_ trust falls. They are the most ridiculous form of ‘teambuilding’ in the world,” her lips curled into a sneer briefly as she resettled back against the sofa.

“What kinda deranged summer camp was Themyscira?” The twist of Roy’s lips betrayed the serious tone of his question.

“I’d tell you but then I’d have to kill you,” Donna deadpanned.

Roy just rolled his eyes and sipped his coffee. Donna began to slowly extract herself from the sofa. Once on her feet she gave Roy a light pat on the head as she walked around the coffee table. He shot her a look but stayed silent rather than giving her a sarcastic remark in reply. Walking towards where she had thrown her phone the night before Donna began to roll her shoulders in an attempt to keep herself from being stiff later in the day. No matter how comfy the couch, it was still a couch and Donna learned her lesson as a teenager about spending too many nights sleeping on a couch and not in a real bed.

“Is that supposed to be some sort of new dance or a really bad Catwoman impression?” Roy teased.

Donna glanced over her shoulder at him as she grabbed the phone. Reading the question in her eyes he responded by rolling his own shoulders; as well as wiggling his whole body and causing the table to creak underneath him. Donna simply rolled her eyes at his over dramatics, earning her a laugh from Roy.

Miraculously her phone wasn’t dead despite the night it spent on the sofa of a fancy French hotel instead of being plugged in to charge. She swiped open the lock screen without actually looking at the notifications. Donna walked back to her original couch and flopped down, putting her sock-clad feet onto Roy’s lap.

He looked down at her feet before meeting her eyes and glancing back at her feet. Donna shrugged and went back to her phone. Roy didn’t bother to move them though or actually say anything, so Donna turned all of her attention to the little red bubble telling her that she had an obnoxious amount of text messages waiting for her.

Seeing that most of the messages were from Oracle she tapped on that conversation first and began to read through the backlog. After only a few seconds Donna froze. Roy noticed the change and tapped lightly on her foot. When she didn’t respond he began to shake her foot. “Donna? Hey? Troy? You good?” he asked softly.

Donna looked up at him, she could feel the blood draining from her face as her eyes widened. “We need to leave. Now.”

“What? What’re you talking about?”

Sliding her feet off of his lap Donna bolted from the couch and began walking towards Jason’s room. “We need to go. Get the hell out of Paris. Wake Kori and tell her that it’s officially Code Shit Hit the Fan.”

“The hell is going on?” Roy called as she swung the door to Jason’s room open.

Donna flipped on the light, waking the boy sprawled out on the sheets. She met Jason’s drowsy gaze, answering both Roy’s question and Jason’s unasked one. “Dick is on his way here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, it's a cliffhanger, sorry! I'm hoping this will be my motivation to update it quickly. If anyone wants to yell at me in the comments please feel free, it's well deserved.


	16. Chapter 16

Jogging up the steps of the subway station Donna weaved between the crowds. She kept an eye on her team as they rushed into the sunlight just ahead of her. Coming out on the sidewalk Donna blinked a few times before her eyes adjusted and she took off again. She caught up with Jason, Kori glancing over her shoulder and meeting Donna’s gaze before flicking to see that Jason was at Donna’s side and Roy was right behind the other redhead. The park where they had left the ship wasn’t much farther and once they got airborne then they were in the clear.

“Why the hell is Goldie coming here? I had my bases covered! Barbie was supposed to have my back!” Jason grumbled lowly next to her.

Donna shot him a frown as she dodged a young man walking a small herd of dogs. When he was next to her again Donna reached out her hand and grabbed the sleeve of his leather jacket. Jason met her eyes, brows crinkling.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want him knowing either, but people are gossips and our kind of people are the worst at it. It’s a well-known fact that Roy and I ran off together after finding out that our kids had been grave robbed. And in all honesty, I’m surprised this hasn’t gotten back to Dick sooner. And me texting him last night seeing if I could get emotional support and advice from my best friend probably didn’t help either,” Donna admitted.

Donna felt Jason grab her hand and give it a squeeze before letting go and giving her a sad smile. She returned his smile and threw her arm around his shoulders, pulling him against her side as they walked into the park.

“He’s Dick fucking Grayson, he’d have figured it out eventually. Do not blame yourself. D’you have any idea how long we’ll have to be anywhere but here for?” Jason asked, his own anger at the situation seemed to have dissipated and Donna was touched by the comfort he was trying to give her. Ahead of them, Kori and Roy had already reached the ship and where lowering the ramp.

“At least a week. He’s probably landing now and he’s going to turn the city upside down,” Donna said.

“That’s going to set you back on your timeline.”

“Oh I’m aware. We have other places we can try in the meantime. But Paris was our best lead.” Donna sighed. “We’ll also have to institute a no outside contact policy for the rest of the mission.”

“I’m not going to have a problem with that one,” Jason said dryly. Donna rolled her eyes. Her arm was still draped over his shoulders and she gave him another squeeze. Laughter flashed briefly across his expression before it became serious once more. “You know that if you ever want to talk Donna I’m willing to listen. I mean, we trekked the multiverse together and get monthly brunch with fucking Rayner. Means we’re friends. Good friends Donna. Plus, the half of the ginger army over there will certainly be willing to listen too. This isn’t the Teen Titans, you don’t have to shoulder it all yourself.”

She felt her eyes prick with tears at that. Leaning over to kiss him quickly on the cheek Donna unwrapped her arm from Jason’s shoulder and nodded. “Thanks,” she murmured and picked up her pace across the grass.

They were only halfway up the ramp when Roy hit the switch to start raising it, causing her and Jason to jog the rest of the way to him. Donna felt the ship rumble beneath her and knew that meant that Kori was already preparing for take-off.

“Now what?” Roy asked as she brushed past him on the way to the flight deck.

“We leave!” Donna called back to him. She flopped into the seat next to Kori, her bags abandoned in the hall on the way there. The other woman cast her a sideways glance although her hands never stilled in their movements over the controls. “Set a course for Budapest,” Donna answered the unasked question.

“Why Budapest?” Jason asked from behind them, Donna jumped slightly as she hadn’t heard him follow her to front of the ship.

“It’s the last known location of Talia al Ghul.”

“Um, I thought the whole point of this little mission was to get info on the League quietly?” Roy asked, worry pinching his voice.

“I never said that we were going to confront Talia. Just see why she was in Budapest until we can come back to Paris,” Donna turned in her chair to see how the boys would react to that. Roy still seemed a little worried and just a tad skeptical, but Jason was nodding and his expression told Donna that the gears in his head were already spinning with the possibilities.

With a shudder the ship was airborne once more, causing the two men to stumble slightly before they settled themselves in their seats. Donna turned to Kori who had been watching her out of the corner of her eye.

“To Budapest,” Kori said with a brilliant smile. She held out her hand and Donna grabbed it, squeezing briefly in thanks before letting go so that Kori could pilot the ship.

“To Budapest,” Donna repeated under her breath. Beneath them Paris disappeared and the threat of Dick Grayson with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't leave that nerve wracking cliff hanger much longer, I'm sorry for doing that to y'all. But unfortunately this might be the last update for a little while which I'm also super sorry about. I'm not abandoning this cause I do have an actual plot mapped out, it just needs to be written. It's just that I'm like super busy this semester which means I genuinely don't know when I'll have the time to write. I haven't even been on tumblr in like the past 3 days I've been so busy and like if you know me than you know that's serious. Additionally, I've been taking a break from comics and only recently and slowly been catching up on the titles I keep up with which has definitely been part of the reason this sat without going updated for so long. Long story short: My life is a hot mess rn and writing isn't at the top of my list and neither are comics. However! You've all been wonderful to me and this fic so thank you all so very much for your kindness, support, and help catching my dumb mistakes cause I don't edit this as well as I should. I am hoping to have something more before my birthday at the end of March so please feel free to check back in then. XOXO


	17. Chapter 17

Jason’s nerves were still wound up tight. From the threat of the fight with Roy the night before to the mad dash away from his brother this morning, it made sense why he was still so on edge. Why, when Roy’s stomach had given an angry growl, Jason had stormed off into the ship’s galley. Why he was now beating eggs harder than he beat up muggers. Because if there’s one thing that Jason learned from his time at the Manor it was that cooking saved all.

Sloshing in the vanilla extract Jason turned to turn on the stove and to start heating up his gridle. He heard someone come in but ignored them in favor of starting to soak the bread in the mixture. 

“If you hate making French toast so much, why bother?” Jason turned to see Roy, leaning against the wall just inside the door.

Rolling his eyes Jason went back to his cooking. “I don’t hate making French toast, quite the opposite actually.”

“You wanna explain the fact that it sounded like you were destroying the kitchen then?”

Jason shrugged, still focused on the food and ignoring Roy’s presence. “It’s stress relief.”

Roy made a noise of understanding and Jason glanced over his shoulder in time to see the other man flop onto the bench at the table. “So why French toast? We left Paris.”

“Your stomach growled and it’s one of the fastest and still Alfred quality meals that I can make. And none of us ate breakfast.”

He could feel the redhead staring holes into his back, but Jason just calmly flipped the bread on the griddle. He continued until there was a pair of plates stacked high with French toast and he had completely decimated the two loaves of bread that he had bought from a farmer’s market on their first day. Turning off the stove and tossing the rest of his supplies into the sink, Jason grabbed the plates and set them down on the table. He didn’t know when, but Roy had put out silverware, glasses, and more plates for them. Jason grabbed a fork and took a couple pieces as he sat down.

“I texted Donna and Kori, they’re gonna get the auto-pilot set up before they come and get some,” Roy said, taking his own share of the breakfast food.

Jason nodded tersely, cooking was supposed to calm him down but sitting here with Roy and the tension simmering between them was not helping anything. His leg began to shake with pent-up energy as he started shoveling the food into his mouth. He glanced up at Roy, the other man’s face was twisted in contemplation. Jason quickly reverted his attention back to his food before he could meet Roy’s eye.

Finally, Roy broke the heavy silence that had settled and was slowly suffocating them. “Jason,” he began cautiously. Jason just glanced through his flop of bangs at Roy, not bothering to lift his head. Roy took a sip of milk before continuing. “You were right last night.”

That got Jason’s attention. He lifted his head and set his fork down, narrowing his eyes at Roy. He waited for the redhead to continue, leaning back and crossing his arms loosely over his chest.

Roy swallowed the bite of French toast he had just taken and set his fork down as well, meeting Jason’s eyes. “I’ve been on enough teams by now to know that keep secrets is a sure-fire way for those teams to crash and burn. I should’ve told you guys what Dinah said. And I will, as soon as Kori and Donna get here I’ll tell you guys all about it. You can keep your secrets Jason, and as long as they don’t have an effect on the team I’ll keep mine. I think that’s a compromise we can both live with.”

Jason nodded, reaching out a hand across the table to Roy. “Anything that has an effect on the team and the mission is public info.”

Roy took his hand and shook. “Agreed.” 

As Jason withdrew his hand he nodded. “Then I’ve got some things I should be telling you guys too. I’m a part of this team, time I start acting like it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So super short update, I know, I'm sorry. Thanks you guys for all your support! I'm hoping to finish another chapter before the end of spring break so check back around Friday? Then probs another hiatus. I managed to completely plot out the rest of the fic though! So the chapters should be coming a little faster since I have clear points I intend to hit. Thanks again all!


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